Managing the relationship with an injured or ill worker during return to work: A guide for supervisors in small and medium businesses

Small and medium businesses face complex challenges when their workers suffer a workplace injury or illness.  This guide is designed to assist supervisors support and stay in touch with injured or ill workers and make changes to the workplace and/or work duties to assist workers return to work sooner.

This practical guide focuses on the relationship between the supervisor and the injured or ill worker across four key stages of the return to work process:

1. When the worker is first injured or falls ill
2. While they are away from work
3. As they prepare to return to work
4. When they return to work.

This document also includes the Getting the best from your worker with suitable duties guide, which provides specific questions to think about when coming up with suitable duties and workplace adjustments for workers recovering from physical or psychological injuries.

Supporting information 

• National Return to Work Strategy 2020-2030
• National Return to Work Strategy 2020–2030 Central Repository
• Practical tools to support supervisors and improve return to work outcomes of injured or ill workers 
• Developing a return to work plan: A guide and template